Iran began counting votes on Saturday after elections that could see reformists accelerate Tehran's opening to the world or long-dominant hardliners reaffirm the Islamic Republic's traditional anti-Western stance.
The twinned elections for parliament and a leadership body called the Assembly of Experts are seen by some analysts as a potential generational turning point for Iran, where nearly 60 percent of the 80 million population is under 30.
The elections are the first since Tehran last year agreed with major powers to curb its nuclear program, leading to the removal of most of the stringent international sanctions that have paralyzed the economy over the past decade.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.